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IA-Sen, IA-Gov: Statewide Recruitment Thread

by: James L.

Wed Nov 19, 2008 at 7:09 PM EST

GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, who will turn 77 in 2010, is getting a bit long in the tooth. It wouldn't be surprising to see him retire rather than seek another term. If he does, who do you like to run for his seat? Despite Iowa's bright shade of blue in recent years, I'm not sure that we'd be able to recruit anyone of note without a vacancy here.

And while were at it, are there any Republicans with a deathwish who want to take on Governor Chet Culver? 5th CD Rep. Steve King, perhaps?

James L. :: IA-Sen, IA-Gov: Statewide Recruitment Thread

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IA-Sen, IA-Gov: Statewide Recruitment Thread | 32 comments

If Grassley Retires

I'd expect to see Tom Vilsack, the former governor, take a run at that potential open seat. If Grassley stays, I think he's going to be reelected by a deceit margin.

As for the governor's race, Chet Culver will be reelected.

by: Don't Tase Me, Bro! @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 00:15:17 AM UTC

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Yep...

If Grassley retires, Vilsack would be a perfect fit for this seat! He can win statewide & we wouldn't be giving up a Congressional seat by running him.

Yes, Virginia, there ARE progressives in Nevada!
24, gay male, Democrat, NV-03 (or 04?)

by: atdleft @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 01:18:54 AM UTC

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It would be nice...

...if Grassley retired. 2010 is the last year we get to play offense (in that the GOP has more seats to defend; we have 24(!) in 2012 and 20 {so far} in 2014), so we should really make a big push for 60 and beyond.

by: PsiFighter37 @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 00:19:47 AM UTC

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Grassley has made indications he'll run again

In an open seat, I'd love to see Bruce Braley run.

by: Johnny Longtorso @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 00:21:56 AM UTC

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I like Braley a lot

but maybe we need him in the House.

by: desmoinesdem @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 02:46:12 AM UTC

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This is a link to a county pdf in MN

where they are recounting.

http://www.co.washington.mn.us...

As of now, Franken has gained 7 votes. However, the heavily Republican counties will be counted later.

by: fai calif @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 00:22:13 AM UTC

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I got the value 7 wrong.

by: fai calif @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 00:24:22 AM UTC

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This is a better link

http://www.startribune.com/pol...

by: fai calif @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 00:37:14 AM UTC

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Coleman's Margin is now 196

It's shrinking, but it's a slow start. This might be a long night. Is SSP planning to do a live results thread of this?

by: Don't Tase Me, Bro! @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 00:40:05 AM UTC

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They're recounting every ballot by hand

It's going to be more than one day of recounting.

by: Johnny Longtorso @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 00:43:56 AM UTC

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Coleman's lead is 181

It's shrinking

by: David Kowalski @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 02:23:22 AM UTC

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Folks

Let's try to keep discussions relative on-topic. You can always start a new diary if there's something new you'd like to discuss. Thanks.

by: DavidNYC @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 03:38:58 AM UTC

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Franken takes the lead!!

Franken leads by 570 due largely to a major correction in Carver county.

by: jward373 @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 00:52:27 AM UTC

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WHA?

Linky please.

24, Male, GA-05

by: cilerder86 @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 00:55:22 AM UTC

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MN Senate

They must have thought they were going to lose because FoxNews started to bash the recount many days before it even happened talking about the Democrats taking hundreds of votes.

Looks like they were "right" and Frankemn (hope, hope) wins.

by: David Kowalski @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 00:59:40 AM UTC

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Franken's Lead Didn't Last Long

Coleman is now back up by 174 votes.

by: Don't Tase Me, Bro! @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 02:41:04 AM UTC

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False alarm

The newspaper web site noted above has now removed the Carver adjustment, putting Coleman back ahead by 196.

by: jward373 @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 00:57:55 AM UTC

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I'd actually like Chet Culver

or Bruce Braley to run if Grassley retires.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus

by: ArkDem the Ragin Cajin @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 01:02:53 AM UTC

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What about Loebsack or Leach switching to our side to run?

Follow the elections in Georgia at the 2010 Georgia Race Tracker.

by: TheUnknown285 @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 01:06:39 AM UTC

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Loebsack...

Is already on our side.

Yes, Virginia, there ARE progressives in Nevada!
24, gay male, Democrat, NV-03 (or 04?)

by: atdleft @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 01:16:59 AM UTC

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I know. I meant just Leach switching parties.

Follow the elections in Georgia at the 2010 Georgia Race Tracker.

by: TheUnknown285 @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 01:26:50 AM UTC

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Leach wouldn't switch parties

and he's a little old. He probably wouldn't have stayed much longer in Congress anyways. He served 16 terms, from 1974-2006. He's in his early seventies I believe.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus

by: ArkDem the Ragin Cajin @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 01:21:00 AM UTC

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Ya, Leach is done

If he were 10 or 15 years younger I could see him switching parties and running for something as a democrat, which he more or less is anyway. But he's at the age where he probably wouldn't run for anything. I'm sure he'd take a job in the Obama Administration if offered though.

Interesting that Leach was first elected in an incredibly democratic year AND ousted in another democratic year.

by: ChadInFL @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 01:48:01 AM UTC

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Should Grassley retire...

In 2010, we should go all out for this Senate seat! I think Tom Vilsack's the best candidate here, as he can win statewide & he's not an incumbent House member in a competitive district.

Meanwhile, I expect Chet Culver win reelection in 2010... No drama there. ;-)

Yes, Virginia, there ARE progressives in Nevada!
24, gay male, Democrat, NV-03 (or 04?)

by: atdleft @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 01:24:17 AM UTC

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If Grasslet doesn't retire

I'd like to see Ed Fallon make a go of it.

The party hierarchy won't want to run anybody of their own, and it'd go some way to fixing the bridges he burnt when he ran for Boswell's seat.

Plus I've heard it suggested that Fallon's loss was mostly due to him skimping on buying the Iowa Democratic party's voter file. In a Senate race where he might expect a bit of netroots cash, he'd be able to rectify that and also show any chops he might have as an organiser.

It'd still be an uphill shot, of course, but you have to run candidates just in case and it might allow him to try for something else later on.

by: Englishlefty @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 01:37:06 AM UTC

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I've voted for Fallon twice

for governor in the 2006 primary and for Congress this year, but I don't think he's our best statewide candidate.

I would like to see someone take on Grassley. You never know if he might get fed up with being in the minority and retire. Also, he could develop a health problem.

David Yepsen has suggested Christie Vilsack could have a go if Tom Vilsack gets a cabinet appointment.

by: desmoinesdem @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 02:48:46 AM UTC

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Vilsack

If Grassley does run again he'll win easily. If he retires, which I expect, Vilsack would probably be favored over any republican.

As for the Governor's race, my guess is barring some major slippage in approvals Governor Culver will only get marginally challenged by something like a state rep or state senator with almost no chance of beating him.

by: ChadInFL @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 01:44:38 AM UTC

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Grassley's

Unbeatable. There's no one in the state who could even give him a race. I think Vilsack, Fallon, and any of our Congressmen there could win an open-seat race easily.

by: jdunph1 @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 02:03:16 AM UTC

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Coleman-Franken gap now 181

Franken making nice gains in Ramsey and St Louis Counties. Apparently 11/18 bad machine precincts have been counted in St Louis, so hopefully those remaining 7 will help a bit. Only 15% of precincts in Ramsey have been counted, so perhaps Franken can gain some more votes there too. Then it comes down to Hennepin County (very little recounted so far) and challenged ballots, which Franken has more to gain from at the moment than Coleman.

by: Progressive America @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 02:26:23 AM UTC

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Perfect triad:

Grassley retires and the Senate race is Vilsack vs. King.

Grassley's out of the Senate, Vilsack is safely back in Iowa where he can't get in the way of progressive ag policy, and crazy Steve King is out of the House and gets punked by Vilsack in a landslide.

This, of course, is assuming Obama doesn't appoint Vilsack Secretary of Agriculture.

by: notanothersonofabush @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 03:20:46 AM UTC

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in a perfect world

King would have beaten Latham in the primary, so that IO-04 is open as well ;-)

33, living in Germany

by: micha.1976 @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 13:26:02 PM UTC

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couldn't grassley

be tapped as a bipartisan sec of agriculture, or am i just smoking some bad grass(ley). sorry, i don't do that, but had to make the pun :P

Top ten signs you're an SSPer #1: your favorite song is "Panic At Tedisco" and no one understands what you mean.

by: doug_tuttle @ Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 03:21:47 AM UTC

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IA-Sen, IA-Gov: Statewide Recruitment Thread | 32 comments

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IA-Sen, IA-Gov: Statewide Recruitment Thread

by: James L.

Wed Nov 19, 2008 at 7:09 PM EST

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